


Paradise Found

by rossendalebabe



Category: Amazingphil - Fandom, Danisnotonfire - Fandom, Phan, Phandom, dan and phil
Genre: Angst, Fireplaces, Fluffy Smut, Freedom, Holidays, M/M, Piano, Slow Dancing, Song Lyrics, Stress, Walks On The Beach
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-19
Updated: 2015-02-19
Packaged: 2018-03-13 19:53:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3394289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rossendalebabe/pseuds/rossendalebabe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dan finds being a full-time internet homo suddenly overwhelming. Phil is concerned and decides his boyfriend needs to take some time out, so he whisks him away for a few days peace and quiet and to find himself again. This is mainly a very fluffy fic and although there’s some smut, it’s also very fluffy. It’s not too graphic or embarrassing to read – just pretty cute really. This is a complete work. Please leave feedback - I love to hear what you thought. Hope you like it!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Panic Station

**Part One- Panic Station**

“No…mmm sorry…I’ll do it tomorrow….I ppppromise…..”

Phil drifted into consciousness as he became aware yet again of the now familiar noises and movements in the bed next to him. In the dim light, he could see his boyfriend, eyes still closed, feverishly thrashing his arms in front of his face, as if to fend off a crowd of angry persistent demons.

“Please….yeah…it’ll be there….editing’s nearly ddddone” he mumbled, his face looking panic stricken.

Phil sighed and sat up in bed before gently leaning over Dan and lightly stroking his damp hair out of his eyes. He frowned – Dan was sweating and so tensed up, Phil could feel the stress radiating from him.

“Shhh, Dan….it’s OK….you’re just dreaming again” he murmured, softly kissing his wet, tear stained face and wrapping comforting arms around his rigid form.

“No Phil…got to get this done…got to do this…disappointed fans….no…” Dan protested.

“Dan – you need to wake up love. It’s just a dream” Phil whispered, smoothing his hair back.

“Wh…what?” Dan’s eyes flew open, realising where he was. “Oh…I thought…oh, I was dreaming…” he said, still half asleep, “what time is it?”

Phil unhooked his arm reluctantly and reached for his glasses, his eyes adjusting in the gloom.

“5.30. Come on Bear, let’s go back to sleep.” He slipped his glasses back off and snuggled back under the warmth of the quilt, scooping Dan back into his arms so he was resting his head on Phil’s chest, his hand hot on Phil’s heart.

“Sssorry I wwwoke you again” Dan muttered. Phil could still feel Dan’s heart pounding against his bare skin.

“Doesn’t matter. But we’re going to talk about this in the morning..”

“It _is_ the morning” Dan murmured, but seconds later, Phil felt his warm steady breath on his chest and relaxed into sleep himself.

Phil woke early, choosing to lie still and watch his perfect boyfriend sleep next to him. He was so worried about Dan lately. The last few days had been the worst. They’d returned from their trip to Playlist, then whilst still battling with jet lag, Dan had been up early promoting their internet safety show on the radio, before spending the entire day doing the final preparations for the show he’d worked so hard on.

Phil was so, so proud of him, especially during the show, which had gone fantastically well. Even though he was also taking part, he’d watched Dan hosting it in the next seat and been bursting with admiration to see his gorgeous partner looking and sounding every inch the professional. It was wonderful to imagine that this was the same shy, awkward guy he’d skyped and flirted with all those years ago and how far he’d developed both in confidence and attractiveness.

Phil smiled to himself.

Who was he kidding? Dan had always been the epitome of good looks. Sure, when they’d first met, he looked different. Back then, Phil had been drawn to his cute smile and dimples. Now, after years of familiarity, he was here with a different Dan. A Dan who had blossomed and matured. He wasn’t the shy, gawky kid any more. He was definitely still gorgeous though and getting more sexy by the day. They’d never been able to keep their hands off each other and Phil still couldn’t help but stare at Dan sometimes, not believing that he was really his.

But maturity and popularity came at a price sometimes. No-one but Phil ever got to see it, but for all his joking about procrastination, Dan really did work hard and sometimes spent a lot of time doing stuff for fans that most people would never be aware of.

Phil was there when he spent hours and hours reading tweets and comments and then typing personal replies to some of his fans, cheering the sad ones up and encouraging those who had self-doubt, sharing and re-tweeting some of the funny posts and pictures too.

Phil was there when Dan insisted he still needed to do his live shows, even when he was practically dead on his feet, because he didn’t want to disappoint anyone.

Phil was there when he edited into the small hours.

Phil was there when the cracks sometimes started to show. He was there when Dan couldn’t sleep because he’d spent too long staring at his screen. He was there when he mentally beat himself up over the smallest things.

Phil was there when he lay down on the carpet in the hall because things were getting too much.

And Phil was there now, witnessing that anxiety show, even now in his sleep. Last night, Dan had uploaded a new video. No-one would ever guess that there was anything wrong. He never let it show how tired he was or how difficult he found it to just go out of the door with Phil, in case anyone could sense the love they had for each other, or guess how dirty they’d been with each other the night before.

Yesterday on the train, Dan had looked a million miles away. Phil could see that his mind was racing again, worrying about everything he’d scheduled himself to do. And just in that moment, Dan had caught him staring, so he’d given him one of his reassuring, yet devastatingly sexy lop-sided smiles (which he knew Dan loved), before stroking his side a bit suggestively. Dan had flashed him a cute, dimply grin back and Phil had melted to see the famous ‘heart-eyes Howell’ look, posted so many times on Tumblr and Twitter.

But then, as suddenly as Dan’s face had brightened, he had remembered that they were in public and had glanced anxiously around the carriage to see whether their little moment together had been observed. There had been a girl a few feet away, just staring at them, blushing though the crowds. Phil thought he could see a phandom wristband just visible as he doors of the train opened and she left the carriage, grinning widely to herself. Phil could see Dan shaking, all colour drained from his face.

The walk from the station had been a silent and fast one and once they were safely back in their flat, Dan had shut himself in his room for three hours, only to emerge looking tired and red-eyed. He’d spent the rest of the night uploading his video and then on social media, searching to see if they’d been outed or photographed.

Dan needed a break or he was going to suffer the consequences. Phil pushed the covers off and headed for the shower. He had work to do.


	2. Safe Haven

It was after 11.30 when Dan’s eyes opened. Instinctively, he reached to the bedside table for his phone. His tired, uncoordinated fingers closed over an empty space. Sighing, he leaned over the bed to retrieve it from the floor – he’d probably knocked it off in the night. But it wasn’t there. _Strange._

Perhaps he’d left it in the living room, but he could have sworn it had been there last night – hell, he remembered checking his twitter before he went to bed. Frowning, he got up, ran his fingers through his hair and shuffled sleepily into the room, expecting to see Phil in there. The room was empty. No Phil, no phone and no laptop either. What the fuck was going on? His anxiety had already started to heighten – things had got off to bad start. He needed a shower and coffee. He felt like shit and was still tired – he hadn’t slept well and his mind was still buzzing from the train incident.

Where the hell _was_ Phil? He usually hung around the house in the mornings. Perhaps he’d slipped out for milk? He checked the fridge…nope there was plenty there. Dan felt cross and agitated already. Where was his phone and laptop? He had stuff to check.

The front door slammed and he heard Phil’s voice.

“Dan! It’s only me…are you up yet?”

Phil appeared in the doorway, looking flushed and excited.

“What does it look like Phil?” Dan replied a little grumpily “and have you seen my phone and laptop?”

Phil kissed Dan’s cheek and studied his red eyes and dark circles.

“How d’you feel this morning?” he asked, completely ignoring Dan’s question.

“Shit. Where’s my stuff Phil?…I need to see if that girl’s posted anything about us” he replied, looking panicky and tearful. Phil hugged him close and rubbed his back gently.

“I’ve checked. There’s nothing on any of the sites. Get in the shower and get dressed. We’re going on a trip” he soothed, trying to gauge Dan’s reaction.

“What?!” Dan looked confused. “Where to?”

“Just…away. Go get sorted out, Bear. We need to get going.”

Dan looked at Phil for a moment, a mixture of anger, confusion and anxiety in his expression. He opened his mouth to speak – he was always the sassy one in this relationship; but he felt suddenly tired and a bit grateful that Phil was telling him what to do today.

“But….but…oh okay” he muttered, conceding defeat, before trotting off the bathroom, mug of coffee in hand.

About 45 minutes later, Dan was ready, still unsure of what was going on. He unplugged his straighteners and sighed, feeling out of control of his cyber- orientated life. Exasperated and nervous, he called Phil.

“OK, I’m ready, Phil. Where the fuck are we going?”

Phil stood at the door, jangling a set of keys in his hand.

“Right, everything’s in the car- just grab your coat and we can go.”

“Car? Phil we haven’t _got_ a car, you idiot. What the hell are you talking about?” Dan growled, impatiently, struggling with his coat zip.

“Come on, I’ll show you” Phil smiled cautiously, before taking Dan’s hand and leading him out of the front door into the cold winter day. Once outside, Phil pressed the button on the car key fob and a modest sized comfortable car flashed its lights and made an unlocking sound. “I rented it for a few days. Jump in – everything’s packed.”

“A few days? I just thought we were going out for a day trip!” Dan protested. “Where are we going? I need to pack some stuff…my phone…laptop…clothes and stuff. I can’t go away- there’s too much to do…I need to…”

“You don’t need to do anything, Dan” Phil interrupted calmly, placing his arms on Dan’s shoulders and staring into his eyes. “Everything you need is packed…you uploaded your video last night and your live shows are all up to date too. Now, get in the car and take some deep breaths.” He could see Dan getting agitated and tearful and knew he had to play this one carefully.

Reluctantly, Dan did as Phil asked. To be honest, he was too tired to care right now. His head hurt and his chest felt tight.

The drive was long and difficult. As Phil turned the car on to the motorway, he could see that Dan was struggling. He’d turned his face away from Phil to look out of the window, resting his chin on his hand. Small sniffs could be heard and he wasn’t saying much. God, Phil hoped he’d done the right thing. He placed his hand gently on Dan’s thigh and stroked it softly. He was grateful when Dan took hold of it and gave him a small squeeze back.

It was dark when Phil finally left the motorway and drove into the more remote area he had found. He was tired too – it had been a long day of planning and packing before having to drive for nearly five hours. Dan had hardly spoken, choosing instead to doze and stare out of the window; so the drive had been extra hard without his usual companionship and banter.

When he finally spoke, his voice was a bit croaky and small.

“So…where _are_ we going Phil? I can see we’re heading to Cornwall, but where are we staying?”

“We’re not far away now” Phil replied. “I’m not sure what the place will be like, ’cos I only booked it this morning, but it’s a retreat, quiet and remote. You should be able to just relax there and no-one will bother us.”

Dan gazed back at him and gave a dopey smile.

“I don’t deserve you” he said simply, staring at his wonderful boyfriend.

“You might not say that when I admit something else to you” Phil replied, carefully.

“What?”

“Well…you know how I said everything you need was packed?” he continued, looking ahead down the uneven road they were now on. The car was bumping from side to side down the potholes.

“Yeah? Oh, what have you forgotten Phil?” Dan answered, rolling his eyes.

“I didn’t forget _anything_. I actually left your phone and laptop behind _on purpose_ …anyway…there’s no wifi at the house we’re staying…”

“What the fuck?!” Dan screamed at him, furious. “You know I need those! I can’t be without my phone! Anyway, people will worry…”

“Nope…I’ve let our parents and friends know we’re away for a few days. It’s all fine Dan, really. You need to be without the internet for a few days. You need a proper break, and you won’t get one whilst you’re constantly checking stuff.” Dan opened his mouth to protest again, then saw Phil’s face, looking back at him, full of concern.

“Fucking hell Phil…” he muttered instead, quietly, but he could see from Phil’s expression that he was genuinely worried about him. He shrugged, his heart pounding from frustration and anxiety again, although his thoughts were interrupted when Phil turned the car into a stony driveway and the car’s headlights picked out a pretty cottage, surrounded by a well-tended garden.

“Here we are!” Phil announced brightly, his cheerful voice barely concealing the nerves he felt. He hoped he’d done the right thing bringing Dan away _sans internet._ He and Dan parked outside the front door and Phil rummaged around under one of the plant pots stored nearby. “Got it!” he exclaimed triumphantly, holding the key aloft.

Dan still frowned stubbornly as they opened the front door and stepped over the threshold, folding his arms around himself against the freezing wind which whistled around their ears. His frown disappeared momentarily though, when Phil switched the lights on to reveal a beautiful, cosy warm interior, clean and well-furnished. His eyes immediately took in the comfortable sofas, rug in front of an open fire, (complete with a stack of logs), and iPod dock. But what really caught his eye was the piece of furniture standing next to the window.

“Wow..a piano…” he gasped, making his way over to it and opening the lid. He pressed a few keys experimentally. “In much better tune than mine too” he admitted.

“I searched especially for a property with a piano for you Dan” Phil smiled “I love listening to you play.”

“Hmm, thanks Phil” Dan replied, almost relunctantly, “I’m gonna need _something_ to do to take my mind off the lack of wifi” he muttered.

“There’ll be plenty to do, but only if you want to. You’re here to relax, Bear. Besides, it’ll be romantic.” Dan glanced up from the piano at Phil’s eyes and fought the smile the threatened to curl his lips up at the edges.

“Hmmm” he mumbled, still feeling angry and resentful “You know, you’re not my mother Phil. You had no right to decide to remove my phone and stuff.”

“I think it’ll be really good for you to take a break for a few days. You’ll see, Dan.” Phil answered, trying to sound convincing.

Dan however was not convinced. “Where’s my stuff Phil?” he demanded. “I may as well go to bed. It’s late.”

Dan just sat, arms folded rigidly, as Phil lugged all of their luggage into the cottage. He’d probably packed far too much, especially for Dan, as he didn’t want to leave anything his boyfriend might have found important. Dan didn’t even wait to thank him – he just picked up his holdall and marched off upstairs to find the bedroom.

Phil sunk down into the sofa with a large sigh. He knew how stubborn Dan could be and besides, he was exhausted from the lack of sleep and all the driving. He shut his eyes and allowed himself to drift off.

It was 1.30am when he opened his eyes again and took a moment to remember where he was. His neck ached from the position he’d been in and he craved a comfortable bed. He picked his own bag up and stumbled up the narrow staircase, ready to crawl in next to Dan.

He was surprised to find the bed empty. The curtains were wide open and the view of the sea, the moon reflecting on its surface was mesmerising. Dan was staring out of the window too – he sat in the window seat, his back to Phil, the outline of his bare shoulders picked out by the moon. As Phil approached him, he didn’t turn round, but spoke softly with a slightly wavery voice.

“Hey, Phil”

“Hey, Bear”

“Shit, I’m so sorry I was off with you before. You’ve done all this for me and I treated you like shit. It’s really beautiful here Phil.”

Phil stood behind him and wrapped his arms round Dan’s chest

“It’s OK…you’re not yourself. That’s why we’re here – to get the old Dan back. I thought you’d have been asleep by now”

“I couldn’t sleep and I’d been shitty with you so I was worrying about it. I feel pretty tired now though..” Dan turned to face him and Phil could see the circles below his eyes and the lack of light within them. He smiled.

“Come on Sleepyhead, let’s both go to bed now. I’m shattered.” Phil said, kissing Dan’s forehead lightly.

Five minutes later, they were both curled up under the thick feather quilt. Phil lay behind Dan, his arm draped protectively over him. The moonlight cast a pale glow over them both and as Phil breathed in the scent of Dan’s hair, he realised that his boyfriend was already asleep.


	3. Guiding Light

Morning came and went and still Dan and Phil slept on. Just after noon, Phil stirred and finally opened his eyes, adjusting to their new surroundings. The curtains were still wide open and the cool light of the winter afternoon revealed the room. Dan mumbled and groaned next to him as he awoke too. Phil kissed the back of his warm neck and cuddled up to him.

“Hi Bear. I think we slept a long time” he murmured.

“Mmmmm, waz the time?” Dan asked, his mouth not having quite woken up yet.

“12.25. Time for brunch” Phil replied, grinning.

“Do you only ever think about your stomach?” Dan giggled, reaching behind him to squeeze Phil’s non-existent flab.

“No, not _just_ my stomach…” Phil whispered into Dan’s neck, making him shiver a little.

“Hmfff, but I’m _hungry_ ” Dan teased, pushing the covers off and swinging his legs over the side of the bed, then pulling a pair of jeans on before disappearing to the bathroom, grabbing a sweater on the way out. Phil lay on his side and watched him go, admiring his partner’s smooth, tanned, naked torso as he walked out of the door. He licked his lips slightly, then smiled and shrugged, waiting a moment for his arousal to subside before following him downstairs.

Dan helped Phil unpack all the food he’d brought for them and they had a huge meal together, sitting at the table in the window which overlooked the sea. The cottage had a small back garden, then a gate which led directly onto the sandy beach below. There was not another person to be seen. They were completely private and secluded.

“There’s not much chance of meeting any of our fans here, is there Phil? How on earth did you find this place?” Dan smiled, staring at the sea and the gulls who circled in the sky.

“Just lucky I guess. Plus, it’s out of season, so the owner’s jumped at the chance of a booking. I knew you’d love it.”

“It’s really beautiful…so peaceful” Dan sighed, reaching for Phil’s hand and giving it a squeeze. “I feel more relaxed already I think.”

“You look a bit brighter – you’re getting the light back in those gorgeous eyes” Phil grinned. Dan felt his stomach flutter a little. Even after all this time, when he got a compliment from the man he’d basically idolised from afar, he felt like he was 18 again.

They finished up their meal and Dan sat on the edge of the sofa.

“Well, what shall we do with the rest of the day?” he enquired, looking up at Phil.

“That’s entirely up to you – this is _your_ weekend” Phil replied kindly.

“Um…well…to be honest I don’t really want to go too far. We were in the car all day yesterday, so can we kind of well, stay round _here_ somewhere? I mean, it’s so quiet and calming here and the beach and the sea look really inviting – not to swim in though!” he added hastily.

“Well, about we get wrapped up and go for a walk along the beach then?” Phil suggested. “I packed our thick jumpers and I put in your furry hat – I know how my Dan’s little ears are so sensitive” he chuckled, tickling his boyfriend’s ears, then kissing his neck.

“Get off, you idiot!” Dan batted at him, laughing, as he stood up and pulled Phil into a cuddle before kissing him back. “That sounds good. Shall we go now though? – it’ll be dark soon. We’ve slept most of the day away.”

Five minutes later, they were heading out of the garden gate and down the rustic wooden steps onto the sand. The icy wind blew in from the sea as they wandered along the damp sand.

“Brrrr, it’s bloody freezing!” Dan complained.

“Come here Bear”, Phil answered, wrapping his arm around Dan’s waist so that they were walking with their sides against each other. “So, d’you like it here? Have you forgiven me for leaving your internet world back in Islington yet?”

“Hmmmm,” Dan started to reply and found to his surprise that it was difficult to be cross with Phil. He realised that he hadn’t really missed the internet at all today. He glanced across and was aware that Phil was waiting for an answer. _Shit_ , his eyes looked so blue out here, Dan noted. His hair was caught in the sea breeze and his skin was flawless and pale, like ivory. There were those butterflies starting up in his stomach again. He felt like the luckiest man alive. “Yes Phil, I forgive you” he smirked soppily, kissing him on the cheek.

“Wow, cold nose!” Phil exclaimed, stroking Dan’s nose with his gloved hand.

A flock of seagulls flew nearby, landing on the sand not far away.

“Wouldn’t it be great to be a bird, Phil?” Dan mused, watching them dreamily.

“I already am…I’m an Emo Goose!” he answered proudly But why d’you say that Bear?”

Dan laughed, fondly smiling at Phil and displaying his dimple, before returning to the wistful expression he had before.

“Well, they’re so free, aren’t they? I mean, they don’t seem to have a care in the world. No work to do, nowhere particular to be. Just food and sleep. Then if they don’t like where they are, they can just fly away.” Phil watched Dan as he spoke, noting the sadness which had crept into his chocolate brown eyes. They sat down for a while on some rocks, sheltering them a little from the wind. Dan sat slightly in front of Phil, between his legs, leaning the back of his head into Phil’s chest, so that Phil could wrap his arms round his waist, keeping them both warm.

“You’re free too Dan, you know?” he murmured.

“No I’m not…I mean _we’re_ not free” Dan frowned, quietly. “I love what we do –most people would kill for our lives and sometimes I can’t believe how lucky we are. But it’s so hard sometimes. I feel that I want to make such a difference to people. I want so much to be wanted. All those fans sending me messages; I want to be able to reply to so many _more_. I want to post more videos, do more stuff, but sometimes there’s just not enough hours in each day Phil. I get so tired now and again. You must too, but you never complain. I feel like such a drama queen when I do.”

“Dan, you _are_ free. Look around you. Take in this scene. Memorise this moment. Keep it in your head forever. Because right here, right now, aren’t you free?” Phil asked gently.

“Yeah, you’re right I s’pose. It’s beautiful Phil. For the first time in ages, it’s just us two. No internet, no phone calls or texts. Just you and me.” He gulped and took hold of Phil’s hands next to his waist, then sniffed and had to let go again, whilst he swiped a stray little tear away from his eye.

“Well, whenever things get too much, let your mind bring you back here, to this beach, to this moment. Remember the sound of the gulls and the waves crashing on the shore. Remember the wind on your face and the smell of the salt water. Remember how cold your ass was on these bloody uncomfortable rocks…” Phil laughed, starting to get up.

“I’ll always remember it here Phil. I’ll remember how warm your arms and body were next to me and how loved I felt today. Bringing me away like this was so thoughtful…I love you so much” Dan said, sincerely “Thank you.” Dan wrapped his arms around Phil and kissed him, stroking his black hair out of eyes, where it had blown in the wind. “You’re so gorgeous – this light really compliments you” he added.

“Let’s get back to the cottage, we’ve walked for ages and the sun’s going down” Phil suggested. “We could light that fire and I’ll cook us a meal.”

So, they strolled back, two tall men, arm in arm, the only people on the whole deserted beach, completely free and completely united.

After their meal, Dan lit the fire – he didn’t trust Phil with the job after that time he’d accidentally incinerated one of their soft toys. Phil was pretty accident prone generally and it was exasperating sometimes, but Dan had to admit that it was also a little endearing. He smiled to himself as he thought about how much he adored his daft boyfriend, who’d had done so well to organise such a lovely surprise trip away. As the flames started to lick up the chimney and the wood began to crackle, Phil appeared at the door with some drinks.

“Hey Dan…wow – nice fire” he complimented, setting the drinks down and sitting down next to him.

“D’you know Phil, It’s weird, for the first time I feel happy just sitting here with you. Just us, all quiet, no internet to distract us. It makes me feel so close to you.” He snuggled down on the sofa, so that his head was resting on Phil’s legs.

“I know. It’s nice not to be occupied every minute of the day. I think we both needed this break, Bear” Phil replied, absent-mindedly running his fingers through Dan’s hair. “You’re hair’s gone all windswept and hobbity” he observed “so cute…”

“Yours is bloody perfect, as usual” Dan frowned good-naturedly. “I want your hair.”

“Never mind, you can’t be 100% perfect, although you’re pretty close” Phil chuckled.

Their evening was spent just like that – they chatted about everything and nothing at all, read a little and listened to some music. Phil magically produced his iPod and put some old Muse albums on, so they could reminisce about when they first met.

Dan put his book down and shut his eyes a little, a goofy smile appearing on his face. Phil watched him, as he lost himself in the music, mouthing along with the words to the songs. He studied Dan’s face – his skin and his messed up hair that Phil adored. He thought again about he much he’d changed from the kid he first fell in love with. Here was a man, a confident, gorgeous _man_ – yet sometimes he still needed the reassurance and attention that a child craved and Phil knew he would always be there to provide whatever his Dan needed.

‘Showbiz’ finished and the next track ‘Unintended’ started. Phil noticed a small blush on Dan’s cheeks and his expression changed a bit. He looked nostalgic and dreamy.

“Okay Bear?” he asked gently.

“Um…yeah, it’s just that I’ve never told you how much this song reminds me of you. When we first met online, I’d sometimes listen to this track in my room after we’d spoken and sing it to myself about you. I never intended to fall in love with you, but somehow…I knew, even then” Dan mumbled awkwardly, his eyes still tight shut.

Next moment, he felt Phil holding his hand and a voice came from above him. When he opened his eyes, Phil was standing, reaching down to him.

“Dance with me, Dan…I know it’s soppy and we don’t ‘do’ dancing, but please…indulge me” he asked. Dan’s eyes widened in a mixture of embarrassment and surprise, but he found himself being gently pulled off the sofa and held firmly but sweetly in Phil’s arms. Phil’s cheek was warm and a little rough next to his and Dan’s nostrils were filled again with his clean scent.

They moved together, eyes closed, feeling the moment completely. Phil took more notice of the words Matt Bellamy sang than ever before.

_You could be my unintended_  
Choice to live my life extended  
You could be the one, I'll always love

_You could be the one who listens_  
To my deepest inquisitions  
You could be the one, I'll always love

_I'll be there as soon as I can_  
But I'm busy mending broken  
Pieces of the life, I had before

_First there was the one who challenged_  
All my dreams and all my balance  
She could never be as good as you

_You could be my unintended_  
Choice to live my life extended  
You should be the one, I'll always love

_I'll be there as soon as I can_  
But I'm busy mending broken  
Pieces of the life, I had before

_I'll be there as soon as I can_  
But I'm busy mending broken  
Pieces of the life, I had before  
Before you

As the song finished, and the next track started, Dan didn’t pull away. His cheek rested against Phil’s hair and they just stood for a minute and he felt so safe.

“Love you Phil” he said finally.

“Love you too” Phil replied, simply. Dan chuckled a bit, suddenly blushing.

“Well…that was nice….cheesy as fuck…but nice” he muttered, pulling away and looking down at his feet. Phil grinned – he knew how much that dance had meant to them both and that this was just Dan’s way of dealing with it. Dan ran his fingers through his fringe, nervously. “Well…I think I’ll go to bed – all that sea air has made me tired. You coming, Phil?”

“Yeah, I’ll just sort out these empty glasses and make sure the fire’s safe, then I’ll be up.” Dan paused for a second on his way out of the door to look back at Phil, who was knelt with his back to him, messing with the dying embers of the fire. He took in all of his partner’s beautiful form, his broad, manly shoulders, his slim waist, cute ass and long, gorgeous legs, which he loved to feel, pressed against his own while they lay together.

“You’re just too perfect, Phil Lester” he said to himself, shaking his head, as he made his way up the stairs.


	4. I Belong To You

The next day was their final one in Cornwall. They had to leave the next morning and drive back to London for the Brits Awards, which was coming up soon. They both slept well and dreamlessly, waking up still entwined in each bodies.

Once again, they had a long, lazy day, which Dan enjoyed immensely.

They found some board games and Dan thrashed Phil at almost every single one, with the exception of Connect4, which strangely, Phil was genius at, much to Dan’s annoyance.

It was almost as though they’d found each other again – the real people, rather than the internet personas they fell into. Dan was so relaxed and spent a lot of his time just gazing out to the sea, watching the gulls swoop across the sky.

As the light of the late winter’s afternoon faded once more, Phil made them both fresh coffee and lay on the sofa reading for a couple of hours while Dan played the piano, occasionally singing to him too. Everything was perfect and they were both acutely aware of how special this break was for them and how much closer they’d been brought together.

As the last daylight disappeared, Dan lit the fire once more, feeling a bit melancholy that this would be the last time and their other lives in London were calling them home. Phil stood up to put the light on and draw the curtains.

“No…don’t do that Phil… I just want to sit in front of the firelight and be able to see the moon on the water out there. Come and join me?”

Phil smiled. He loved seeing this new romantic side of Dan. He sprawled out on his side, both of them on the huge rug in front of the fire. He wrapped his arm round Dan’s waist.

“Your eyes are so pretty Phil” Dan whispered, studying how the fire danced in the blue of his boyfriend’s irises. Phil blushed a little.

“Aw…thank you, but I think _you_ have the best eyes in the world, Bear” he replied, staring into them, noticing how Dan’s pupils dilated as he moved closer. “Yours are deep and dark and warm and passionate and I can lose myself in them and never find my way out again.”

“You know…I feel so close to you, Phil” Dan murmured, turning to face him fully. “And d’you know, I was so sleepy last night when you came to bed...We haven’t made love the whole time we’ve been here.”

“I know…and I want you so much Dan. I’ve wanted to do unspeakable things to you ever since we arrived, but I figured you needed your rest, so I didn’t like to pester you…”

“You’re never a pest” Dan smirked, reaching to start unbuttoning Phil’s shirt. Phil’s hands started to wander between Dan’s thighs and stroke the top of his legs.

Soon they were both topless, making out in front of the glowing fire. When their passion became too much, Dan silently removed the rest of their clothes and lay on top of Phil, their naked bodies pressed together.

“Shouldn’t we draw the curtains?” Phil suggested, looking up at his boyfriend adorably.

“No, no-one’s around – let’s make love right here, in front of the fire. I’ve always wanted to do this.”

“Not quite the same in London, on the wooden floor, in front of the gas fire is it?” Phil grinned.

They didn’t fuck that night. Instead, they made love, slowly and carefully together. Although their bodies moved urgently against each other, they had never spent so much time staring into each other’s eyes during their sex. Their kisses were long and tender, their touching was gentle but so hot. They seemed to be completely and utterly in sync with each other’s needs and yearnings.

They explored one another’s bodies as though it were the first time, but without the awkwardness and clumsiness. Their breathing became frantic and hot together, panting and groaning at the same pace. Their lips pressed together, although their mouths were open, moaning into each other, pulling at one another’s hair. Dan was usually very vocal when they fucked, but he didn’t utter one coherent word tonight – just sounds of complete bliss and pleasure.

When they climaxed, it was together. They instinctively knew they had both reached that moment. Phil’s eyes squeezed together and he gripped hold of Dan’s waist even harder with his thighs. Dan’s body tensed, as he reached his high, unable to control himself at the sight of Phil’s blissed out face, his mouth hanging open below him.

Afterwards, they lay motionless and panting, sweating slightly from their effort and the heat of the flames.

“Remember this forever Dan?” Phil whispered, tangling his fingers through Dan’s dark locks. “Remember this when you’re tired and stressed. Remember this when things get a bit too much. No-one can take this away from you.”

Dan buried his head in Phil’s shoulder and committed the moment to his most precious memories. He felt so overwhelmed with love right now and knew he’d never be parted from this guy who lay there beneath him, his heart beating against his naked skin.

They slept there on the rug for a little while, before gathering their clothes together and heading up to bed, hand in hand. As they lay under the big feather quilt together, Dan had never felt so at ease with himself and the world.

Whatever life threw at him, he knew he would always have this idyllic time with Phil, safely stored away, to call upon when things got tough. Even more than that, he knew he also had Phil…his Phil, who cared more about him life itself.

As Phil’s breathing grew more regular, Dan kissed him gently.

“Phil…are you asleep?” he whispered.

“Yeah…I think so”

Dan smiled, his eyes full of love.

“You know how I said I used to sing that Muse song about you?”

“Mmmm?” Phil murmured, groggily, snuggling up to him.

“Well….would you be my intended, instead?” he asked, waiting with his breath held, for a response.

“What d’you mean? As in…?...” Phil’s eyes opened as he tried to comprehend what Dan was saying.

“I’ll never meet anyone like you…so, yeah, maybe not yet, but…one day in a couple of years or so…will you marry me Phil? I can’t imagine living my life without you.” Dan sighed, taking Phil’s face in his hands.

“Oh Dan…” Phil’s blue eyes welled up with tears and his mouth turned up into a wobbly sort of smile. “Oh God, yes! Yes, I’ll marry you…I love you so much Dan.”

They laughed and hugged, shedding wet tears of happiness, clinging to each other as though they would never let go. This was everything they’d ever dreamed of. The whole trip had been like a fairytale and now they had their happy ever after ending.

Dan and Phil returned to London the next day and although they were both sad to leave that very special place, they both knew that it would always be there, waiting in their minds, to call upon whenever needed. They could both be back in an instant, on the beach, the wind in their hair, in front of the glowing fire or simply laying in the moonlight, in each other’s arms, forever.


End file.
